Why Print Has a Hold on Millennials

Why Print Has a Hold on Millennials

The print industry can offer millennials something they truly desire – a blast from the past. It's imperative for companies to reach this iPhone-savvy, social media-driven group of young adults. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicted that millennials will account for about 50 percent of the country's workforce by 2020, reported the Financial Post. This statistic highlights the importance of organizations working to essentially capture the attention of this gigantic group of like-minded working Americans. While companies have typically worked very hard to come up with the latest iPhone, tablet, gadget for this fast-paced generation, print has had something to offer all along – nostalgia.

Lisa Frank sells clothes
Many companies have tapped into this insight and channeled it into their marketing and overall strategies. Some organizations have acknowledged that millennials are now in their twenties, which is typically a period of adulthood that's full of changes. It's during these times that people tend to reflect on earlier periods of their lives for happiness, Biz Journals pointed out. Companies got wind of this phenomenon and have brought back many old-school classics from the 90s to reach their target audiences.

Biz Journals explained that men's and women's clothing apparel store Urban Outfitters started selling Lisa Frank products, based on designs which were very popular for bright and fun school folders, trapper keepers and more. The colorful school supply company was really big in the U.S. more than a decade ago when millennials were just youngsters. Urban took the initiative a step further and made the past meet the present. It started a conversation on Twitter and asked its followers to share a Lisa Frank style drawing and share them with one another by using the hashtag #UOxLisaFrank, reported the source.

Frank Sinatra sells whiskey
Other companies have tried the nostalgia tactic on other generations that align with their target audiences and they've succeeded. In one case, Jack Daniels integrated Frank Sinatra into its whiskey products and the company saw immediate growth, according to Ad Week. This means that Jack Daniels' idea to have Americans reflect on the days of the iconic music artist actually provoked some people to buy the products.

These examples speak volumes to the print industry because it offers some nostalgia without even trying. What millennial didn't grow up with notebooks, business cards, flyers and catalogs? This means that all of that digital technology is beneficial but it can't invoke these feelings in today's generation because it doesn't make them feel as connected to the product.

Companies should look to this trend and use it to offer print products to a generation that's deeply enthralled with the past. They can potentially increase revenues, customer retention rates and overall reputation by utilizing products such as catalogs, flyers and more tangible items that were big in the 90s. Perhaps companies like Urban Outfitters and Jack Daniels can make even greater strides by incorporating popular culture of the past as well as traditional print marketing.